Clinical Study of Multiple Cardiac Valve Replacement : A Report of 63 Cases

중복심장판막이식의 임상적 고찰 63예 보고

A total of 63 patients [42 males and 21 females] underwent multiple valve replacement with artificial valves between January 1975 and August 1980 at Seoul National University Hospital. There were 38 patients with aortic and mitral valve replacement, 22 with mitral and tricuspid, and 3 with aortic, mitral and tricuspid valve replacement. The valve lesions varied from trivial to severe and most aortic and mitral valves had mixed stenosis and insufficiency, while tricuspid valves had only insufficiency. The patients were severely symptomatic in majority of the cases, and belonged to the Classes III and IV [III:45, IV:16] of the NYHA functional criteria. Hemodynamic studies were performed on all the patients. The mean pulmonary wedge pressure was remarkably increased to 19.8 mmHg in aortic and mitral valve lesions and 18.0 mmHg in mitral and tricuspid valve lesions. The mean pulmonary arterial pressure was also increased, while the cardiac index was reduced. In 1977, the average perfusion time was 245.5 minutes for aortic and mitral valve replacement and 181.6 minutes for mitral and tricuspid valve replacement. It has progressively declined to 169.2 minutes for aortic and mitral valve replacement and 123 minutes for mitral and tricuspid valve replacement in 1980. The average period of aortic occlusion also declined after the use of cardioplegic solution. Twenty deaths occurred among the 63 patients operated upon, an overall mortality rate of 30.8%. The operative mortality has declined with successive year from a level of 66.7% before 1977 to 21.1% in 1980. Fourteen patients suffered from a list of postoperative complications, which eventually resolved with adequate treatment. All the survivors were enjoying the levels of daily life activities greater than those existing before the operation.